Joining Forces FAQ for Service Members and Their Families

Frequently Asked Questions

Click the Military Families Link. Scroll down and you will notice a box where you can enter your zip code. All fitness service offerings within 25 miles of the zip code you enter will display.

Click the Learn More button on each fitness provider who has pledged to support the initiative to learn more about their fitness services as well as the number of training hours they’ve agreed to pledge.

Click the Request button next to the fitness service you are interested in. Please note, fitness professionals and providers may pledge more than one service, so you could see multiple services listed for each individual or business.

You will be asked to create an account or login. This is to help protect our certified professionals from receiving spam and illegitimate requests. Your username will be your email address. Your information will NOT be sold nor shared.

In addition to your email, you may provide your phone number as a possible way to reach you. This will be shared with the fitness services provider to allow them to contact you.

You will be asked to fill out a reason for your request. This is to give the fitness services provider a little more information about your situation and what you hope to achieve from your fitness training services.

How do I know if I qualify?

This is for Reservists and National Guard and their immediate family members when the Reservist or Guard Member anticipates deployment within the next six months, is currently deployed, or has returned from active deployment within the last six months. Service member ID’s and a copy of recent orders may be presented when participating in fitness activities.

Are the immediate family members of actively deployed National Guard and actively deployed Reservists eligible?

Actively deployed National Guard and actively deployed Reservists and their immediate family members (may be parents, siblings, spouses, children) are eligible to redeem hours pledged through this initiative when the National Guard or Reservist anticipates deployment in the next six months, is currently deployed, or has returned from deployment in the last six months. Service member ID’s and a copy of recent orders may be presented when participating in fitness activities.

The Joining Forces initiative includes widows/widowers and immediate family members of those who have been killed while serving as actively deployed National Guard or as an actively deployed Reservist.

• While the Joining Forces initiative is inclusive of ALL branches of the U.S. military, we are initially offering fitness training services at no cost to actively deployed National Guard members, actively deployed Reservists and their immediate families. For more information on the comprehensive Joining Forces initiative, visit www.whitehouse.gov/joiningforces/

Why do I need to create an account to request fitness services?

This is to help protect our certified professionals from spam, and illegitimate requests. Your username will be your email address. Your information will NOT be sold nor shared.

What should I expect when I complete a request for fitness services?

Our fitness professional should be in contact with you within a few business days. They will send you an email, or if you have supplied your phone number, they may give you a call. The two of you will determine the best place to start. Depending on the service, this could range from joining a small group work-out at a park to meeting your certified fitness professional at a gym. Please note that the fitness professional has been advised to ensure that you are eligible for this program by checking your military ID.

What types of fitness training services are available?

This may vary depending on the types of fitness services each professional or provider has agreed to offer as well as what falls into their scope of practice. However, types of common fitness services may include: one-on-one personal training sessions, small-group training sessions (ideal for you and a 2-3 family members), and group fitness classes such as spinning, step aerobics, boot camps, yoga and Pilates.

I saw a service I was interested in, but when I came back, it is no longer listed!

Once a fitness professional has fulfilled their pledge, they will no longer be listed on the website.

What if there aren’t any fitness service hours available in my area?

Fitness providers are pledging fitness training services every day. However, in some cases you may enter your zip code and come up empty-handed. You may choose to check back at your convenience, or you can provide us your email address so that when a fitness professional/provider pledges in your area we can notify you right away.

Can I invite my friends to participate with me during a fitness training session or class?

Joining Forces is a comprehensive national initiative that provides ways for Americans to give back to services members and their immediate families. If you have friends who serve as activated reservists or the National Guard, or are immediate family members of someone who does, they are eligible to receive fitness services from a participating provider.

If you have a friend or family member that doesn’t qualify for the program, they can hire the fitness professional from whom they wish to receive training services based on the provider’s set hourly rate.

What if I want to continue working with my fitness professional after they’ve exhausted their total number of hours pledged?

It is up to you and your fitness professional/provider to work out an arrangement as to the total number of session hours you and your family can receive if you are interested in continuing to work with them once they’ve fulfilled their pledge hours. Please note that at this time, your fitness provider may agree to continue providing their services to you based on a set hourly or per session rate.

How long will this offer last?

We’d like this to continue as long as possible and will continue to rally support for as long as we can.

What is ACE doing to validate pledged hours are given to recently deployed reservists and National Guard and their immediate family members?

Fitness professionals are advised to ask military families for proof of deployment and military status. This can be accomplished in a number of ways including military ID’s for service member and dependents and a copy of the service member’s recent orders.